4.1. SR 10-08-2001 - Laserfiche WebLink

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,dnesday, March '7, 2001/Elk River 'Star News / 13 Visit us on the web at www. erstarnews.com ° We HERBURNE COUN3 Road project spurs choir to seek new home by Joni Astrup Associate editor The Land of Lakes Choirboys is looking for a new home. Its current building at Highway 10 and County Road 15 in Big Lake Township ,will be removed ~o make way for an inter- change. -Construction on the new diamond interchange is scheduled ,to begin in 2002, according to Roger Risser, Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) project manager. ~ John Fitzgerald, the choir's executive director and general prefect, said they have about 13 months before they have to get out. "We are just looking at every_, option we can," he said. "If anybody has any suggestions, we're open." The'Land of Lakes Choirboys owns 12.7 acres of land at its current loca- tion. On the site is an old schoolhouse that is the choir's headquarters. A county road will be moved slightly west to avoid impacting Bailey Station Cemetery. Fitzgerald said the build- ing ~s poured c6ncrete. Moving it is not considered an option. Fitzgerald said they don't know yet how much they will be paid for their prop- erty. Besides the choirboys building, the Wingard craft store at the southwest cor- ner of the intersection will also have to be removed, according MnDOT's Risser. The craft store is open in the spring and fall. The Wingards have no plans at this time to open the store in a new location. The Land of Lakes Choirboys is headquartered now at Highway 10 and County Road 15. It will be moving to make way for an interchange. (Photos by Joni Astrup) Risser said MnDOT staff is reviewing the historical significance of the build- ings. A consultant is work- ing on that as well. Both buildings have been some- what modified from their original condition, he said. In another matter, the county road will be mbved about 150 feet to the west to avoid impacting the Bailey Station Cemetery, which is located south of Highway 10. The cemetery was founded in 1873, The interchange project is estimated to cost $8 mil- lion. It could be completed in 2002, with good weather and no delays. The county road will go over Highway 10 when the interchange is finished. Work could begin this fall on another interchange In another area inter- change project, construc- tion could possibly begin this fall on a diamond interchange at Highway 169 and. County Road 9 between Zimmerman and Princeton, according to Risser of MnDOT. Under the plan the county road would go over the highway. The only building affected is a seasonal fruit stand at the southeast corner of the intersection. It will be relo- 'cated. The interchange is expect- ed to open in the fall of 2002. The project is esti- mated to cost $8 million.